Cards to Support Our Troops – Free Printable
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I have many vivid memories of my time in the Air Force, but one of the most vivid is the hundreds of pallets of cards from American citizens that we processed and shipped to deployed service members during Operation Desert Storm. It was so heartwarming to see the concrete support of all those citizens. I know firsthand how much a simple card and personal message means to service members, veterans and their families. Let’s all get involved by sending cards to support our troops, and you can use these free printable cards for military members to make yours.
Originally sponsored by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are always mine.
At a glance: Free printable patriotic card images (hearts, stars, a flag and text) to cut out and layer into your own handmade cards. The PDF is free when you sign up for the Organized 31 newsletter. Cut white card stock in half and fold it to make a 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inch card, then mix and match the images. Made for anyone who wants to send thanks to service members, or blank cards they can mail home.
Having seen for myself, and when my husband was deployed, how much it means to deployed troops to receive cards, I’ve often sent cards to deploying and deployed troops, troops in military hospitals and veterans in V.A. hospitals. I realize that not everyone has a craft room stocked with card making supplies, so to make it easy for anyone and everyone to make and send cards to support our troops, I’ve created a free printable of card designs you can print out and use.
Cards to Support Our Troops
You’re probably familiar with the idea of writing and sending cards to support military members, their families and veterans. There’s a second way you can create and send cards for troops: sending blank cards that they can use to write to their family members. I know this won’t surprise you, but there are no card stores in many deployed locations. Troops want cards to send to their families and friends, but don’t have a way to get them. Making cards for the troops to send to their loved ones is a truly helpful way to support our troops.
Why not make cards to send directly to deployed service members and make cards for them to send to their loved ones? I know, big smile, right?!
You can gather family and friends to help you make cards.
Once I got back home, I created these free printable card designs. You can print them out and use them to make your own cards. With these six images it’s easy to create endless combinations and designs.
How to Make Cards to Support Our Troops
Supplies
- White Card Stock Paper
- Paper Cutter
- Scissors
- Double Stick Tape or Glue
- Printable Images – Get the free patriotic card images when you sign up for our free exclusive content below.
- Envelopes – Invitation envelopes are the perfect size for these cards.
To get your free patriotic card images printable, sign up for our free newsletter below. The printable card images pdf will be sent straight to your inbox.
Step 1: Cut card stock paper in half so that you have 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inch sized paper. Fold the paper in half to make a 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inch card.
Step 2: Print out the free printable card images. You get access to these free printables when you sign up for our free exclusive content above. Cut out the images.
Step 3: Lay out the images to create card designs. Be creative. The design combinations are infinite. You can also add solid colored card stock paper to layer and make designs stand out more.
Card Design Ideas
- Cards with the large heart combo design
- Cards with the large star combo design
- Cards with the flag
- Cards with cut out stars only
- Cards with cut out hearts only
- Cards with a mix of text and designs
- Cards with additional solid or decorative paper added
- Cards with a short message on the front that a service member can use when writing home, like “Thinking of You,” “Missing You,” “I Love You,” or “Hello”
- Cards embellished with
- Ribbon
- Washi Tape
- Stickers
Do not use anything with glitter. We all know how insidious glitter is and how it gets everywhere. Troops don’t need or want glitter on their uniforms for a variety of reasons, and some card programs won’t send cards with glitter at all.
It’s a simple way to send your personal thanks directly to service members around the worl
Where to Send Your Cards for Troops
Once you’ve created your own cards, contact your local USO to donate the cards to service members.
Operation Gratitude. This nonprofit tucks blank handmade greeting cards into the care packages it sends to deployed troops, so service members can write home to their loved ones. Their guidelines ask for cards that are blank inside and measure between 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches and 5 by 7 inches, with a light-colored envelope for every card. Tuck each card under its envelope flap rather than sealing it inside. They also ask for no glitter and no religious icons or scripture. Good news: the card you make with this tutorial fits right in their size range. Guidelines and mailing deadlines can change from year to year, so please check the current details on the Operation Gratitude website before you mail.
Your local USO. Many USO centers welcome handmade cards for service members and military families. Call ahead to ask what your nearest center needs.
Veterans. If you’d like to send cards directly to veterans, my Thank a Veteran Cards free printable and Thank Our Veterans free printable are ready to print, and these Thank You Veteran Card Writing Tips can help with what to say.
Cards for Troops FAQ
Yes. The patriotic card images PDF is free when you sign up for the Organized 31 newsletter, and you’ll also get access to hundreds of other free printables on the site.
Operation Gratitude asks for cards between 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches and 5 by 7 inches. Cutting a sheet of card stock in half and folding it, as in this tutorial, gives you a 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inch card.
For cards that service members will mail home to their families, yes. Leave the inside blank and include an envelope so they can write their own message and send it.
Skip glitter, and make sure ribbon and other 3D embellishments are attached securely. Operation Gratitude also asks that cards avoid religious icons and scripture.
Absolutely. Gather family and friends, print a stack of images, and set up a card-making table. It’s a lovely way to send thanks together.
Check out my favorite patriotic crafts, printables and recipes in the table below. You can scroll though the table and look for ideas or search for specific ideas with the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner (on desktop). Click on the topic and then click through the specific article.
I’m a mom of 3, a veteran, military spouse. I’ve moved into 20+ homes all around the world. My passion is helping busy people make the space and time for what’s really important to them. Learn more about Organized 31 and me.
What a neat thing to do! I never thought about the troops needing cards to send back home to their family. Those Coke cans are really neat too! It’s funny that I’m reading this post right now because in the background, the news is on and a ship is returning home. They’re showing all the families waiting for them to disembark.
Reunions are such emotional times for military families. I love the Coke cans, too, Brenda. 🙂
You know–I had NEVER thought of the idea to send blank cards to service members–that’s completely brilliant! And thank you for your service and for your families sacrifice for our country!!!
There really is a need for the cards and it’s fun to create the cards, Nicole. It becomes addictive, but it a great creative addiction. 🙂